Nikon Succeeds in Combating the Trademark Infringement in Non-video Classes

—Judicial Solutions to the Conflict between Company Name and Trademark Right in China 

Highlight: The free-riding on the well-known trademark is not rare in China for the startups’ eagerness of rapid development, some ones may even register such marks as their company names. Bridge IP Commentary will introduce you the key elements in the trademark  right protection for trademark owner.

Recently, China’s Supreme Court released the Annual Ten IPR Cases in China, among which a case concerning the conflict between company name and well-known trademark heard in Xi’an Intermediate People’s Court of Shaanxi Province gets the attention of Bridge IP Commentary. In the case, a company established on 28th March, 2000 in Jinghua City of Zhejiang Province altered its name to Zhejiang Nikon Co., Ltd., which mainly sells bikes and scooters and applied for trademark registration. That discontented century-old Nikon Corporation (TYO:7731) and aroused the legal battle. Zhejiang Nikon was finally sentenced to abandon the registration, alter its infringing name and take the compensation liability.

READ MORE

Trademark or Company Name, Which One is on Priority in China?

Highlight: To introduce the laws and regulations concerning the conflict between trademark and company names in China and matters in need of attention regarding foreign companies applying for in trademarks.

Case study: Beijing Baoma (北京宝马), the company of BMW Group’s first agent in mainland China and the first one translated BMW to the current popular Chinese name Baoma (宝马), which means speeding horse and has become a vivid symbol of their vehicles, was demanded to change its name by BMW Group, under the pressure that even more the parties may get litigated against each other.

READ MORE